Automobile door structure

Abstract

Disclosed is an automobile door structure supported on an automobile body and adapted to be engaged with and disengaged from said automobile body through a door latch, which comprises an outer segment 2, and an inner segment 6, 8 disposed on the side of an automobile cabin relative to the outer segment 2 and provided with the door latch. The inner segment includes enhancement means 50 for enhancing an acoustic conversion efficiency of a vibration having a specific low frequency among vibrations of the door latch generated during door closing. The automobile door structure of the present invention can enhance a low-frequency sound capable of giving the impression of dignity on an occupant.

1. An automobile door structure supported on an automobile body and adapted to be engaged with and disengaged from said automobile body through a door latch, comprising:
 an outer segment; and 
 an inner segment disposed on the side of an automobile cabin relative to said outer segment and provided with said door latch, said inner segment including enhancement means for enhancing an acoustic conversion efficiency of a vibration having a specific low frequency among vibrations of said door latch generated during door closing, 
 wherein said inner segment includes
 a door inner panel formed with an opening; and 
 a door module made of resin, said door module being provided with a functional door component and attached to said door inner panel in such a manner as to cover over the opening of said door inner panel, 
 
 wherein said enhancement means is formed in said door module, and 
 wherein said door module is formed in a rectangular shape having two long edges and two short edges, and attached to said door inner panel along an outer edge region thereof through a plurality of connection portions, at least a part of two or more of said connection portions aligned along said long edges being less rigidly connected to said door inner panel than two or more of said connection portions aligned along said short edges, in such a manner as to allow said door module to be displaced relative to said door inner panel. 
 
   
   
     2. The automobile door structure as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said door module is formed with a hole portion for mounting said functional door component or for assembling or service, wherein said enhancement means is designed in such a manner that a reinforcement portion is integrally formed with said door module to reinforce said hole portion so as to allow said hole portion and its surrounding region to have an approximately homogeneous rigidity distribution. 
   
   
     3. The automobile door structure as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said enhancement means is designed in such a manner that said functional door component is mounted on a region of said door module which otherwise has an inhomogeneous rigidity distribution, so as to allow said region to have an approximately homogeneous rigidity distribution. 
   
   
     4. The automobile door structure as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said functional door component is mounted on a region of said door module which has an inhomogeneous rigidity distribution, at a plurality of positions, wherein said enhancement means is designed in such a manner that said plurality of positions are approximately aligned along a direction orthogonal to a direction oriented toward the center of said door module. 
   
   
     5. The automobile door structure as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said enhancement means is designed in such a manner that said functional door component is mounted on said door module to allow a weight of said functional door component to be imposed on approximately the center of said door module. 
   
   
     6. The automobile door structure as defined in  claim 5 , wherein said functional door component is mounted on said door module through a bracket at approximately the center of said door module and in the vicinity of an attached region of said door module to said door inner panel. 
   
   
     7. The automobile door structure as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said enhancement means is adapted to create a low-order vibration mode in said door module, said enhancement means being designed in such a manner that said functional door component is mounted on said door module through a bracket at positions corresponding, respectively, to an antinode and a node of a vibration of said low-order vibration mode, so as to allow said low-order vibration mode to be created in said door module. 
   
   
     8. The automobile door structure as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said door latch is fixed to sold door inner panel through a bracket, and all of said door module, said door inner panel and said door latch bracket are connected together using a common fastener. 
   
   
     9. The automobile door structure as defined in  claim 8 , wherein said door latch bracket and said door inner panel define a triangular-shaped closed section therebetween. 
   
   
     10. The automobile door structure as defined in  claim 8 , wherein a region of said door module connected using said common fastener has a higher attaching rigidity to said door inner panel Than the remaining region of said door module. 
   
   
     11. The automobile door structure as defined in  claim 8 , wherein said common fastener comprises a plurality of bolts disposed on two lines extending along a direction intersecting with a direction oriented from said door latch toward said door module. 
   
   
     12. The automobile door structure as defined in  claim 8 , wherein a region of said door module connected using said common fastener includes a reinforcement portion integrally formed therewith to extend in a direction oriented from said door latch toward said door module. 
   
   
     13. The automobile door structure as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said door inner panel includes a reinforcement portion which is formed to surround a region of said door module except for a side region of said door inner panel having said door latch fixed thereto, and adapted to block the vibration. 
   
   
     14. The automobile door structure as defined in  claim 13 , wherein said vibration-blocking reinforcement portion is formed to continuously extend to the upper and lower ends of the side region of said door inner panel having said door latch fixed thereto. 
   
   
     15. The automobile door structure as defined in  claim 13 , wherein said vibration-blocking reinforcement portion is a step-shaped or bead-shaped portion protruding outward from a surface of said door module. 
   
   
     16. The automobile door structure as defined in  claim 1 , wherein each of said connection portions less rigidly connected to allow said displacement includes an elastic member, and wherein said door module is attached to said door inner panel through said elastic member. 
   
   
     17. The automobile door structure as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said specific low frequency is about 200 Hz or less. 
   
   
     18. The automobile door structure as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said enhancement means is adapted to create a 1×1 vibration mode in said inner segment in accordance with the vibrations of said door latch generated during door closing. 
   
   
     19. The automobile door structure as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said enhancement means is designed in such a manner that a reinforcement portion is integrally formed with said door module to adjust a rigidity of said door module, so as to allow a 1×1 vibration mode to be created in said door module. 
   
   
     20. An automobile door structure supported on an automobile body and adapted to be engaged with and disengaged from said automobile body through a door latch, comprising:
 an outer segment; and 
 an inner segment disposed on the side of an automobile cabin relative to said outer segment and provided with said door latch, said inner segment including enhancement means for enhancing an acoustic conversion efficiency of a vibration having a specific low frequency among vibrations of said door latch generated during door closing, 
 wherein said inner segment includes
 a door inner panel formed with an opening; and 
 a door module made of resin, said door module being provided with a functional door component and attached to said door inner panel in such a manner as to cover over the opening of said door inner panel, 
 
 wherein said enhancement means is formed in said door module, and 
 wherein said door module is attached to said door inner panel along an outer edge region thereof through a plurality of connection portions, at least a part of two or more of said connection portions aligned along a direction oriented from a first side region of said door module adjacent to said door latch toward a second side region of said door module opposite to said first side region being less rigidly connected to said door inner panel than two or more of said connection portions aligned along said first and second side regions, in such a manner as to allow a displacement of said door module relative to said door inner panel.